Rachel A. (ra7) reviewed on 5/1/2020 + 1010 more book reviews

Genevieve is going through a divorce after her husband was caught cheating on her. About the same time, her uncle dies leaving her his locksmith shop in Paris. She uses this opportunity to return to Paris and maybe take over his business. She has previously been to Paris to visit her uncle, aunt, and cousin shortly after her mother's death when she was 14.

This mainly told in Genevieve's POV present tense. There are also flashbacks to her mother's visit in 1983 and her visit in 1997. Pasquale (her aunt) also has a chapter dedicated to her POV. Overall this worked to tell the story; each chapter's POV is clearly marked.

I enjoyed reading about Paris and the neighborhoods with the close-knit community. I liked reading a little history of WWII and the Algerian War. I thought it was cool how JB tied the Basques into the story too (with the Embassy bombing). (Boise, ID has a large Basque population).

I would have liked more on locksmithing; it was fascinating reading about the old locks. I did have a hard time connecting with Genevieve and her mother Angela. There is no romance in this one. Angela's secret is easily guessed.

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